STIP vs. EWJ
STIP (iShares 0-5 Year TIPS Bond ETF) and EWJ (iShares MSCI Japan ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - STIP is a Inflation-Protected Bonds fund tracking the Bloomberg US Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities (TIPS) 0-5 Years Index (Series-L), while EWJ is a Japan Equities fund tracking the MSCI Japan Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, STIP returned 3.14%/yr vs 9.55%/yr for EWJ. At a 0.09 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. STIP charges 0.06%/yr vs 0.49%/yr for EWJ.
Performance
STIP vs. EWJ - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, STIP achieves a 1.87% return, which is significantly lower than EWJ's 14.83% return. Over the past 10 years, STIP has underperformed EWJ with an annualized return of 3.14%, while EWJ has yielded a comparatively higher 9.55% annualized return.
STIP
- 1D
- -0.02%
- 1M
- -0.09%
- YTD
- 1.87%
- 6M
- 1.97%
- 1Y
- 4.54%
- 3Y*
- 5.26%
- 5Y*
- 3.38%
- 10Y*
- 3.14%
EWJ
- 1D
- 0.57%
- 1M
- 0.71%
- YTD
- 14.83%
- 6M
- 14.50%
- 1Y
- 31.74%
- 3Y*
- 16.57%
- 5Y*
- 8.56%
- 10Y*
- 9.55%
STIP vs. EWJ - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
STIP iShares 0-5 Year TIPS Bond ETF | 1.87% | 6.03% | 4.77% | 4.63% | -3.02% | 5.68% | 5.18% | 4.89% | 0.54% | 0.74% |
EWJ iShares MSCI Japan ETF | 14.83% | 25.84% | 7.03% | 20.29% | -17.72% | 1.16% | 15.40% | 19.34% | -14.10% | 24.27% |
Correlation
The correlation between STIP and EWJ is 0.03, meaning there is essentially no relationship between their price movements. Each responds to its own set of market drivers, making them strong candidates for combining in a diversified portfolio.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.03 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.19 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.19 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.13 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Dec 3, 2010 | 0.09 |
The correlation between STIP and EWJ shifts across timeframes, from 0.03 (1 year) to 0.19 (5 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
STIP vs. EWJ — Risk / Return Rank
STIP
EWJ
STIP vs. EWJ - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares 0-5 Year TIPS Bond ETF (STIP) and iShares MSCI Japan ETF (EWJ). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.
Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.
| STIP | EWJ | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +1.64 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +3.27 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.68 | 1.28 | +0.40 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 6.63 | 2.27 | +4.37 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 25.91 | 7.62 | +18.28 |
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Drawdowns
STIP vs. EWJ - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum STIP drawdown since its inception was -5.50%, smaller than the maximum EWJ drawdown of -60.93%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for STIP and EWJ.
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Drawdown Indicators
| STIP | EWJ | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -5.50% | -60.93% | +55.43% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -0.69% | -13.59% | +12.90% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -0.95% | -14.68% | +13.73% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -5.50% | -33.14% | +27.64% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -5.50% | -33.14% | +27.64% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -0.20% | -1.51% | +1.31% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -0.99% | -21.72% | +20.73% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.18% | 4.04% | -3.86% |
Volatility
STIP vs. EWJ - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for iShares 0-5 Year TIPS Bond ETF (STIP) is 0.41%, while iShares MSCI Japan ETF (EWJ) has a volatility of 6.31%. This indicates that STIP experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than EWJ based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| STIP | EWJ | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 0.41% | 6.31% | -5.90% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 1.01% | 15.96% | -14.95% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.45% | 20.23% | -18.78% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 2.74% | 18.38% | -15.64% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 2.45% | 17.33% | -14.88% |
STIP vs. EWJ - Expense Ratio Comparison
STIP has a 0.06% expense ratio, which is lower than EWJ's 0.49% expense ratio.
Dividends
STIP vs. EWJ - Dividend Comparison
STIP's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.31%, more than EWJ's 3.94% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
EWJ iShares MSCI Japan ETF | 3.94% | 4.52% | 2.34% | 2.03% | 1.23% | 2.08% | 1.04% | 2.03% | 1.71% | 1.25% | 1.95% | 1.27% |
STIP iShares 0-5 Year TIPS Bond ETF | 4.31% | 4.11% | 2.62% | 2.84% | 6.04% | 4.15% | 1.40% | 2.06% | 2.44% | 1.59% | 0.89% | 0.00% |
Frequently Asked Questions
STIP and EWJ have a correlation of 0.03, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
EWJ has higher volatility (6.31%) compared to STIP (0.41%). In terms of maximum drawdown, STIP dropped -5.50% vs EWJ's -60.93%.
On 10-year performance, EWJ leads with 9.55% vs 3.14% for STIP. On fees, STIP is cheaper at 0.06% per year. On volatility, STIP has been the lower-risk option at 0.41%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 10-year period, EWJ has performed better with a 9.55% return vs 3.14%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
STIP is cheaper with a 0.06% expense ratio, compared with 0.49% for EWJ.
STIP has the higher dividend yield at 4.31%, compared with 3.94% for EWJ.
STIP is categorized as Inflation-Protected Bonds, while EWJ is Japan Equities. STIP tracks Bloomberg US Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities (TIPS) 0-5 Years Index (Series-L), while EWJ tracks MSCI Japan Index. Their fees differ too: 0.06% for STIP and 0.49% for EWJ.
STIP currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (3.17 vs 1.52), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.
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